Nashville

Bill Frisell | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 29, 1997)
• Original Release Date: April 29, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000005J4A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,799 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Americana, December 16, 1999

By 

Kristopher Bell (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

Bill Frisell's music is misunderstood by fans and critics alike. Most listeners are too eager to foist labels upon artists; few are content to just let music be. Bill Frisell is not a jazz musician, nor is he a country guitarist or an avant-garde artist. Rather, he takes from all of these styles and incorporates them into his music, creating a sound that is distinctly his own while continually blurring the edges of established genres and styles. Frisell is a unique voice in the music world. His music is not universally accepted nor understood, but whether you like him or not, history will find him a pivotal figure in music. Some, such as those at Downbeat, are ahead of their time in embracing Frisell and his music. Their overwhelming praise is completely justified.

Nashville finds Frisell in a place where few musicians--save those on the inside of Nashville--seldom go: into the world of country music. Frisell weaves a rich blanket of country melodies and harmonies, but brings to the music the freedom of jazz and the down-hominess of bluegrass. The result is nothing less than an astounding effort. The guitar lines are simple yet beautiful, as Frisell lives the neck-jockying to a minimum, instead focusing on song structure and execution. One must go into the album with an open mind and open ears; but if one views the album as played and written by someone attempting to make a uniquely American sound by synthesizing the fundamental elements of American music, then one will not be disappointed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not for guitarists who judge music by speedy bop licks, December 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

beware...this album contains beautiful music. ...obviously, some are not ready to hear it. maybe there exist sub-par guitar players who can play every lick on this cd, but if they were the ones in the studio instead of Bill I highly doubt they would've been able to pick those few deceivingly simple notes that Bill chose. There is something much more admirable in understatement rather than regurgitating scales over every possible chord in a tune. Hooray for Downbeat that they had a moment of grace in seeing beyond musical categories to celebrate Bill's good taste.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Fretboard Magic as the Master Conquers the Unknown, May 5, 2002

By 

Chris Holmes "busker" (Corfu, Greece) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

In fact, I'm sure Frisell knew *exactly* what he was doing with this Who's Who of ace Nashvilleines, even if it was a totally new one on me. Heck, I thought I'd discovered a new 'secret' maestro to worship outside the roar of the crowd.
Apart from Frisell's album with Ginger Baker, this is the one I play to my fellow gigsters just to smirk when they go "Who IS that guy?"
A great sound, enhanced by non-pareil musicians: the incomparable Jerry Douglas whose dobro playing sets the standard for others to be judged by; the siren-voiced Robin Holcomb with an impeccable handling of Neil Young's 'One of These Days'; bassist Viktor Krauss and Adam Steffey in surprisingly muscular mandolin form.
I would not have placed this as Frisell's field of forte, but that wiley genius just keeps surprising and pleasing me with effortless and genial ownership of anything he works his fretboard magic on.